News

News Coverage

The Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium released a report in March stating that many Harris County watersheds do not have sufficient flood mitigation projects planned in relation to the amount of damage they sustained during Hurricane Harvey.

What will it take for Houston to become more 'resilient'?

Christof Spieler | The Houston Chronicle | May 7, 2018

If the Houston region wants to minimize the human impacts of future events like Hurricane Harvey, we need to think about flooding differently. Houston City Council recently approved the creation of a municipal utility district to support building 900 homes in Spring Branch on the former Pine Crest Golf Course. These homes will be in a floodplain, in a neighborhood that has flooded repeatedly. This subdivision is designed to minimize flood risk for the new homes. But what can be done to help the hundreds of existing flood-prone homes around it?

Houston area continues to eye third reservoir to control flooding

Mike Snyder | The Houston Chronicle | May 5, 2018

Eight months after Harvey, area leaders generally agree that a third reservoir is needed to supplement the protection provided by the Barker and Addicks reservoirs - two projects in the 1940 plan that did come to fruition. Unresolved issues involving the location, design and primary goal of a third reservoir, however, reflect broader questions about regional values and priorities.

There will never be an easy fix for Houston’s flooding issues. Hurricane Harvey came on the heels of “500-year” floods in 2015 and 2016 — and the 2018 hurricane season is predicted to be more active than average. It is clear the region’s flood risks are increasing. It is time to think big and creatively about how to prepare for the changes that are already underway.

Houston prairie restoration projects take on new significance after Harvey

Mike Snyder | The Houston Chronicle | April 30, 2018

The tender green shoots nestled in plastic pots don’t appear to have super-powers. They look a bit like weeds. But for students and volunteers at Rice University, they are valuable tools for helping Houston protect against future flooding.

Second thoughts on Third Reservoir

Editorial | The Houston Chronicle| April 22, 2018

After Hurricane Harvey demonstrated the limitations of the Barker and Addicks reservoirs, anybody who knew local history pointed out that the original plans called for developing a third dam to protect downtown Houston from flooding. Were we wrong about the third reservoir?

Report: Houston region must take fresh approach on flooding

Mike Morris | The Houston Chronicle| April 6, 2018

A coalition of local researchers focusing on flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey have released a detailed report calling for the region to rethink what flood mitigation means and how to tackle these efforts.

Flood Mitigation Tactics

Houston flooding can't be eliminated, but impact can be reduced

Team of reporters | KHOU CBS Television | April 5, 2018

Recommendations for how to address Houston's flood problem were released Thursday morning. They say getting rid of flooding just isn't possible, but there are ways to reduce the impact it has on your life.

How to improve the purchase process of homes affected by the passage of Hurricane Harvey?

David Herrera | Univision| February 6, 2018

The Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium welcomed five experts from across the country to share best practices and successful strategies implemented for buyout in their region. David Herrera spoke with Gavin Smith of the University of North Carolina, one of the expert panelists, and John Jacob of Texas A &M on the session and the report produced by Rice University’s Kinder Institute of Urban Research. Smith shared the purpose of the report was to capture best practices in order for local and state officials to make more informed decisions regarding buyouts in the region. He also highlighted the importance of authorities walking homeowners through every step of the process as it can be long and confusing at times. Jacob spoke to the need for buyouts in high-risk areas where there has been heavy development, recognizing that flooding will occur in the area and there is an opportunity to reduce the negative impact of it.

Workshop Discusses Making Buyouts An Increased Aspect of Flood Mitigation

Abner Fletcher | NPR's Houston Matters| February 6, 2018

Christof Spieler of the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium, Kyle Shelton of Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and Dave Canaan of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina's stormwater services department cover what will be discussed at the buyout workshop.

How Disaster Charity Can Pivot to Sustainable Philanthropy

Paul Sullivan | The New York Times| December 23, 2017

Paul Sullivan writes in his "Wealth Matters" column about how philanthropic organizations can look beyond reactive charity following a disaster in order to create and sustain solutions for the redevelopment and rebuilding of communities (long after the news headlines).